Tag: Chronicle

Small Changes: Big Results

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We are a month into Spring and the time for adjustments or changes may seem to have passed. It is not too late to make a small change that could make a big difference for your students. I often return to the Small Change Series from James Lang during these moments because it is such a pragmatic guide to making adjustments during the semester (you only need a free Chronicle account to access these). In this tip I want to recommend an excerpt from his short essay on the last five minutes of class (library link) where instead of cramming in another example or theory you could try out a connection exercise. 

Closing connections. If we want students to obtain mastery and expertise in our subjects, they need to be capable of making their own connections between what they are learning and the world around them — current events, campus debates, personal experiences. The last five minutes of class represent an ideal opportunity for students to use the course material from that day and brainstorm some new connections.

Finish the last class of the week five minutes early, and tell students that they can leave when they have identified five ways in which the day’s material appears in contexts outside of the classroom. You’ll be amazed at how quickly they can come up with examples when this activity stands between them and the dining hall.

I liked this suggestion because it promotes student activity and a solution to something we sometimes struggle with–helping students see themselves in the work we are doing. 

Finally, just a reminder that we are still soliciting feedback on our summer programming through tonight at 11:59pm. Please help us better understand your needs by filling out this brief survey.

Zach Justus
Director of Faculty Development
Professor of Communication Arts and Sciences
Google Voice/Text: 530-487-4150

All past Tuesday Tips are curated on the FDEV website.

Earth Day and Climate Change Faculty Learning Community

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Dear faculty, 

To celebrate Earth Day, Faculty Development is excited to announce that in Spring 2024 we will be offering another faculty learning community on teaching climate change and resilience! We will send a call for applicaitons in Fall 2023, so we do not have any details yet, but I want to share the good news as you consider opportunities for professional development next year. The faculty learning community is sponsored by the President’s Office and the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences and will be led by Dr. Mark Stemen. 

This program is based on last year’s CSU-wide FLC, which received recognition by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) and was awarded the Campus Sustainability Achievement Award. 

The FLC and Mark’s efforts were also featured in a recent article in the Chronicle of Higher Education, part of their Future Trends in Higher Education, so this project has received recognition beyond just sustainability circles. 

As as you prepare to discuss climate change in your classes, as a way to recognize Earth Day, I also want to remind you that FDEV has created a webpage where resources from the FLC are collected. We hope these resources will be useful to you, and we invite you to stay tuned for more information about the FLC in the Fall! 

Chiara Ferrari, Ph.D.
Faculty Development Director

Remembering Student Names

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Today’s Tuesday Tip is a strategy to learn students’ names, which can facilitate a welcoming and inclusive classroom environment. It’s also a great way to connect with students but it can be challenging, especially in large classes. One strategy is to access your Class Roster to match students’ names with faces. When students get their photo taken for their University ID, they can choose to upload it to the Class Roster. To access your Class Roster with student photos, log on to the Chico State Portal, sign in with your campus username and password, and click on the Faculty Center. Then, click on the Class Roster icon to the left of your course and then click View All. On the Class Roster, you will see your students’ name, major, year in school, and photo (if they chose to upload it). You can then review the photos with names before each class.

Additional strategies for a successful first week of class can be found in this recent article in the Chronicle.

Tell Your Story

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In a recent interview with the Chronicle of Higher Education, astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson argued that universities fail to adequately communicate with the public about their discoveries, which reduces their educational impact. He noted “there’s a whole culture [in academia] that does not embrace…pop culture. If communicating with the public were valued in the tenure process, [faculty] would be better at it.”

  • Do you agree with Dr. Tyson?
  • Should faculty become better storytellers to inform and inspire the public about their scholarship?
  • Should communication to a lay public audience (e.g. local TV news stories, popular magazine publication, YouTube channel, advocacy website) be rewarded in Chico State’s RTP process?

Neil deGrasse Tyson – Chronicle Interview

Share your comments below.